Temporal Arteritis: Associated Conditions

A rheumatic disorder called polymyalgia rheumatica frequently occurs together with temporal arteritis. It is still unclear how or why the two diseases often develop together, but often a patient with one of the diseases eventually develops the other.

Polymyalgia rheumatica is linked with moderate-to-severe musculoskeletal pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulder, and hip area. Stiffness is most noticeable in the morning or after a period of inactivity, and typically lasts longer than 30 minutes.

The cause of polymyalgia rheumatica is not known, but the condition usually resolves within one to two years. The symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica are quickly controlled by treatment with corticosteroids, but symptoms return if treatment is stopped too early.